


On the Way Down From the Roof

by traumschwinge



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alcohol, Canon Compliant, Chess, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-27 00:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10798050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traumschwinge/pseuds/traumschwinge
Summary: Charles would love to confess his feelings for Erik. Of course he would. But feelings are always so messy and the uncertainty of the answer is making it worse. He's always found flirting much easier after a couple of drinks. It's just somehow, Erik seems less than pleased with him for it.





	On the Way Down From the Roof

**Author's Note:**

> For [@LatinalKinney on Twitter.](https://twitter.com/latinalkinney)
> 
> Fair warning: As all of the fics of the past months, this fic's topic is very much "consent".

Charles eyed the bottle of whiskey next to the chess board. He’d already had two glasses, neither of them really full, but also well more than a mouth full. He was close to being drunk, he realized that much. His game was suffering already. Erik must notice, he was sure of that but he was too nervous to check. It was also the reason why he filled another two fingers of whizäghskey into his tumbler, despite Erik’s raised brow. He needed just another little push, he told himself. He could definitely take a little more. At least he wouldn’t be blackout drunk. Nothing he couldn’t handle. He’d been worse. All those things he told himself.

Halfway through the third glass, he miscalculated the position of his knight, knocking it over. It made Erik smile, just a flash, but definitely a smile. “You’re lucky that wasn’t your king,” he said, a dry humor in his words. “Or are you meaning to give up?”

It took two tries, but Charles managed to put his knight in the spot it was supposed to go.

Erik frowned at the board. He took his time with the next move, leaving Charles free to watch him while he was staring at the board. Erik sighed. He’d finally moved one of his bishops. “Check,” he declared.

Charles looked down at the board in surprise. He hadn’t thought Erik had gotten that far ahead. But no matter how long he looked, Erik wasn’t mistaken. And it’s be only a handful of turns to Mate if they’d continued as it was.

”Okay, Charles,” Erik sighed. “What’s wrong?” He looked around the room. “Are you… I thought you’d enjoy being back home.”

Charles raised his eyebrows. Home. That was something nobody had called the mansion in ages. Their flat in Oxford, that’d been home. The mansion. That was just his parents’ house. However… “With so many people here, you could almost call it that.” Charles put his glass down.

Erik flinched, just a second until he got himself back under control. “Bad question?”

”No.” Again, Charles sighed. “But last time we’d been here it wasn’t mine yet.”

”Okay.” Erik looked directly at him for longer than comfortable. “What’s wrong, then? You haven’t gotten this drunk in front of me yet.”

”I-” Charles put his finger on his king, tilting it this way and that. “I’m just…” He shrugged. “On edge for too long, probably.” It was a lie but Charles hoped it was at least a believable one.

”Yeah, well, anyway, I’m cutting you off for the night.” Erik snatched the bottle off the table and put it down next to his armchair on the floor. “I’m not about to babysit you while drunk.”

”That’s unfair and entirely unreasonable,” Charles pouted. “I know fully well how much I can take.”

Erik sighed. “Sure, Charles.” It was clear that he didn’t believe him for a second.

Charles frowned. “I don’t like being patronized.” Despite that, the toppled his king. “Fine, though. If you won’t let me drink and I’m too drunk for chess, how about we just call it a night?”

For a moment, it looked like Erik was about to just set up another game and see what Charles would do. But then, he started to put the set away with well-practiced movements. Charles leaned back an+-d watched. It might be that Erik was actually right. The buzz he was feeling in his head wasn’t just pleasant. It was also slowing his thoughts and narrowing his perception.

”Charles,” Erik said, his voice soft. “Charles?”

Charles blinked at him. “Huh? What?”

”I asked if you’ll need help going to your room,” Erik repeated. “Or should I just let you sleep here?”

It took a moment for Charles to parse out what Erik’d said. Upon a few leaps and assumptions, what ended up coming out of his mouth was, “Carry me?”

Laughing, Erik shook his head. “Definitely not.” He’d stood up, offering his hand to Charles. “But I’ll let you lean against me if you need that.”

Charles reached for Erik’s hand and found having Erik’s warm fingers close around his hand. A moment later, he was up on his feet, his head spinning. Since Erik had basically offered, he just let himself sway forward, trusting that Erik would catch him. Erik didn’t, but he also didn’t move, allowing Charles to lean against his chest for a moment. Feeling bold all of a sudden, Charles put his hand on Erik’s waist, at the exact height dance classes had taught him was just barely proper.

”Charles? What are you doing?” Erik sounded still somewhat amused, but his thoughts were tinted with a rising panic. “Do you always get handsy when drunk?”

”’m not… not handsy,” Charles defended himself. “Just need my hand to be someplace.”

”Uh-hu.” Erik sounded unconvinced. “That’s why your hand is slipping down.”

”No, that’s just gravitation.” Still, feeling slightly guilty, Charles let his hand drop from Erik’s hip.

”Gravitation? Seriously?” Erik murmured. “What am I going to do with you?” Charles wasn’t sure if Erik said the last part out loud or if Charles just picked up some stray thoughts, but the words were clear: “If only you’d do this sober…”

Sluggish as Charles mind was, he didn’t see much sense in that thought… those spoken words… whichever. If he were sober, he wouldn’t be touching Erik like that. He wouldn’t stand that close to Erik. He’d still be close and still touching, but it would be less, always less and afraid of anyone who might look, whose disapproving thoughts Charles would have to hear.

”C’mon.” Gently and very slowly, Erik turned Charles so he was facing the door to the hall. “Bedtime.”

”Are you coming with me?” Charles saw no reason in at least trying.

Erik audibly suppressed a groan. “No, Charles. I’m not. Definitely not. I’m taking you to your room, I’ll open the door and then I’ll walk away. Understood?” He spoke slow and pronounced, making sure Charles understood every single word and the complete sentence. At the end, he squeezed Charles shoulders. “Can you walk alone if I guide you?”

For a moment, Charles was tempted to shake his head and see just how far he could push Erik. But something stopped him.

Erik noticed it a moment later. “What the…” he murmured.

”Training, I think.” Charles raised two fingers to his temple and closed his eyes, secure in the knowledge that Erik would hold him steady when the room would start to spin. “Alex. Sean. Hank. I think they’re on the roof of the east wing. Climbed through one of the windows.”

Erik groaned. “Sean’s wearing that fucking suit Hank made.” He put an arm around Charles and leaned on him, putting just a little weight on Charles, enough to be comfortable, not enough to make Charles sway. “I don’t wanna go up there and end it but I think I should.”

”I’ll come with you,” Charles said quickly.

Erik shook his head. “You’re still going to bed.”

”It’s much more convincing if we go together. Especially if something happens,” Charles tried to argue. He could hear the boys on the roof getting ready for nightly flight lessons.

”I’ll just wake Moira. Or you could and then go straight to bed.” Erik let go, brushing over Charles’ shoulders as if he wanted to make sure there was no trace of his embrace on Charles. “C’mon, the longer you argue the higher the chance of broken necks.”

Charles let himself reluctantly be led out of the room. “You really prefer Moira to me?” He didn’t want to sound accusing but it still came out like that.

”Right now? Yes.” Erik sounded like he was done and wouldn’t put the stance up for discussion. “About my own age, pragmatic and above all sober.” He started to walk, leaving it to Charles to either follow or go to bed as suggested.

Charles chose to follow, even though he was a bit wobbly on his feet. Erik knew his way around the mansion surprisingly well already, heading straight to the stairs heading all the way up to the top floor and attics. “Not fair, Erik!”

”I didn’t force you to get drunk.” Erik was now hurrying up the first flight of stairs, uncaring if Charles could keep up or not. “You could really help me so much more right now if you stopped arguing and went to get some actual help. Instead of making me worry about a fourth person.”

”There’s no reason to worry about me. I can help, just as well as Moira could.” Charles stumbled over a step, catching himself on the handrail. “See? No reason to worry, at all.”

”If you break your neck on the stairs...” Erik sighed. “You know what? I clearly can’t keep you from anything, so come along, but don’t expect me to keep an eye on you, too.” They’d reached the top floor and Erik had stopped to look at the ceiling. A moment later, the latch to the attic opened and the ladder came down.

Charles followed Erik up the ladder, mindful to always hold onto the next rung with both hands before moving either of his feet. Erik was at least partially right, whether he wanted to hear it or not. It was well within reason to not want to have to worry about him. What hadn’t been, however, was bringing up Moira like she was somehow ahead of him in competition.

When Charles eventually reached the top of the ladder and thus the attic, Erik was nowhere to be seen. Nothing much was visible anyway, as despite the various modernizations the mansion had undergone, electric lights in the attics had never been a priority. Charles cursed his lack of foresight in not bringing a torch. He could feel a draft and, when his eyes eventually managed to at least distinguish shadows from deeper shadows, could make out the windows. He slowly shuffled over to them, only to still walk into the one Erik had opened and likely climbed out of.

”...do you think you’re doing out here in the dead of night?” Charles could hear Erik from around an alcove. Holding onto the wall, then the roof itself when he ran out of wall, Charles inched in the direction from which he’d heard Erik’s voice.

”I… another try…” Sean’s voice didn’t carry as well as Erik’s had so Charles could only make out fragments.

”From the roof? You could break your necks! Not just you, Sean, all three of you! What the hell were you thinking?” Erik sounded seriously angry. He looked angry, too, when Charles reached the alcove and finally saw all four of them, Erik with his back to him and Hank, Sean and Alex in various states of guiltily not-looking-at-Erik.

”Sean just doesn’t have enough time if we try it from the second floor,” Hank murmured. “It just couldn’t work. But from the roof… I… that is, we’re…” He faltered when he looked up at Erik’s face.

Erik raised a hand to his face. “Listen… I’m not saying you’re wrong or anything. I’m just… maybe wake up Angel next time. Or fetch me. Before you come up here. Somebody, anybody that can catch you, Sean.”

”You could catch me?” The gasp that ended the sentence made it clear that Sean hadn’t actually meant to say it out loud.

”Sean…” Erik sighed. He raised his hand. For a second, it was like nothing was happening but then Charles noticed that Sean had lost touch of the roof and was levitating. “No promises that I’ll manage that all the time, but it’s definitely better than not having any kind of safety net, don’t you think?”

”If we agree and say we’re sorry, will you let Sean down?” Alex sounded somewhat terrified.

”Alex, he won’t throw Sean off the roof!” Charles gasped, having read Alex’ thoughts. Everyone looked at him, the horror on Erik’s face visible despite there only being the lights of moon and stars to illuminate it. He immediately let Sean down again, making sure he was standing and in balance before he let go entirely. It was mainly to feel out every last bit of metal on Charles and holding onto it just firmly enough that Charles could still move.

”Bed.” Erik said firmly. “Right. Now. All of you.”

”Erik, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?” Charles wasn’t just talking about what Erik had said and how, but also about his ferrokinetic hold. “They meant well.”

Erik’s face turned stormy. “Great. Then maybe if something happens again, meaning well can mend a broken neck,” he growled. Over his shoulder, at the boys, he snapped, “You’re back inside as soon as possible, or I _will_ start to throw people off the roof.”

Whether or not they believed Erik’s threat, the boys did carefully move away from him. Charles caught thoughts of the window they’d climbed out of. Maybe he should just start locking the attics.

”Erik, that really wasn’t…” Charles started, reaching out to touch Erik’s arm.

Erik took a step back. “Don’t. Just don’t. I’ve had enough. For the night, at the very least. We’ll see about more in the morning.” He turned away. “Either you’re coming along or I’ll leave you here.”

Charles shuffled closer to Erik. “Hold my hand?”

Erik made a frustrated noise deep in his chest. “You made it out here alone.” He held his hand out for Charles to take, anyway, and didn’t let go until they’d reached the window.

The boys were waiting in the hallway when they climbed down the stairs. The cold, fresh, air had sobered Charles up a little, so going down the steep ladder wasn’t as bad as going up had been. Erik still waited until he was all the way down before he followed.

There was some shuffling of feet and a general avoidance of looking at Erik, two or three shared glances between Hank and Alex. A push. Then, Alex spoke, not exactly up, but he mumbled in Erik’s vague direction. “Erik, can I talk to you?”

Erik looked at Charles, wondering pointedly if Charles could make it back to his room alone. Charles nodded and made a gesture to tell him it was ok to go ahead. Erik rolled his eyes at Charles. “Yeah. Whatever. I gotta close the other window anyway. You can come along.”

Slightly lost, Charles looked between Erik and Sean and Hank. Both from Alex’ and Erik’s thoughts it was clear he stood no chance to tag along. Defeated, Charles sighed. “Well, good night to the two of you, then.” He clapped his hands, doing his best to act like he always did. “I’ll take Hank and Sean to their rooms, alright, Erik?”

Erik just gave Charles a stiff nod, before motioning for Alex to follow him. A minute later, they’d disappeared around the corner at the end of the hall.

”Shall we go then, as well?” Charles asked, all pleasant smile. That at least came easy and made him feel more in control that he actually was.

”Professor?” Hank asked quietly, as they walked down the third or fourth flight of stairs. Charles hadn’t counted, relying on his feet to find their way back to the quest wing they all slept in. Sean was walking ahead of them, not listening.

”Yes?” Charles kept his voice down just as Hank had, but he still shielded Sean from hearing them. Hank radiated a need for privacy.

”Is there any reason why… Is Erik mad at you for a reason?” It was clear that Hank wasn’t putting it past Erik to just be cranky.

”I…” Charles bit his lip. It wasn’t something he was too willing to admit. But Hank might just understand. “I had a bit more to drink than usual while we played chess.”

Hank raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. He didn’t need to, it was plain to understand for Charles what he was thinking.

”Hank!” he gasped. “No!”

”But you would, wouldn’t you?” Hank’s voice was soft, quiet. He probably meant to think about Charles kissing Erik but it ended up being just about Alex being kissed by Hank himself. It felt very much like a fresh memory.

Charles blushed. “I have no idea.”

”No idea? Professor, you could know if you wanted.”

”Exactly. And I don’t. Not enough.” Charles shook his head. “There’s things… I just don’t want to know them.”

Hank stopped. His mouth was hanging open, his eyes wide. “Have you, ever, just… once? seen how Erik looks at you? You’re… like the center of his universe when you’re around.”

”That’s…” Charles frowned. The temptation to check and see if Hank was even partially right was strong. “He said he prefers Moira over me not even an hour ago!”

Hank rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Sure. And tomorrow, the sun will rise on a deep green sky.”

”He said it and meant it.” Charles tried not to sulk.

They’d reached the hallway with their rooms, so their conversation was on a hold while they both wished Sean a good night. As soon as Sean had closed the door behind him, however, Hank asked., “What, exactly, did Erik say?”

”I asked him if he prefered her over me and he flat out said yes. He likes how pragmatic she is.” Charles pulled a face. “I can be pragmatic, too.”

”Just yes? No modifier?” Hank probed.

”There might have been a ‘Right now?’ before the yes,” Charles admitted.

”So, what you’re saying is that he mostly just doesn’t like you drunk.” Hank sighed. “Professor, just ask him. Tell him. Worst case, he says he doesn’t want to.”

Charles pulled a face. “...there’s no convincing you, is there? Ok, ok, well, I’ll ask. Just so you get off my back. But my blood will be on your hands!”

Hank shook his head. “Get some rest, Professor.” With that, he left Charles to find his way to his own room and bed.

 

~*~*~

 

”So, what is it you so desperately want to talk about?” Erik had waited until he had been sure they were even out of Hank’s earshot, but not a moment longer. Alex’ nervous brooding was getting on his nerves.

”Uhm… so.” The self-control Alex possessed to not twitch was impressing Erik. “Eh, when the Prof finally tells you he’d love to climb you like a tree or something like that… please don’t murder him? We like him.”

Erik blinked. He forced himself to keep walking, to not stop out of sheer shock. It took him a couple of paces to figure out how he wanted to react. “Who says he didn’t already?” he snorted in the end. “Alex, you’re weeks late for that. And Charles is still alive. ...or at least he was when we last saw him. And I didn’t do anything to him.”

Alex was watching him closely for a moment. He looked unconvinced.

”I don’t see how this is any of your business.” The topic was much too uncomfortable for Erik to not be amused about it. Alex clearly meant well. Knowing that he and Hank tended to sneak off into each other’s rooms at night, Charles was probably enduring exactly the same talk.

”It’s annoying as all hell to watch,” Alex grumbled. “You do realize I had a whole speech about how you really have to do something and start a relationship for the good of all of us prepared.”

Erik grinned broadly. It made Alex shudder, which was completely worth it. “This wouldn’t be even necessary if he either used that oh so smart brain of his and the telepathy that comes with it. Or if he wouldn’t be drunk every single time he tries to spill his feelings. What does he expect? I mean, honestly? I’m not acknowledging that.”

They’d reached the other ladder to the attic. Neither of them made a move to climb up, so Erik waved his hand. Above them, the window shut with a low thud. Another wave and the ladder folded back up and the latch closed itself.

”Are you torturing all of us for fun then?” Alex grumbled.

Erik pointed at the topmost step of the stairs down. “Sit. I hate talking standing up. I’m not going to fight you.”

”I don’t want to fight anyway,” Alex rumbled, but he still sat down and waited for Erik to do the same, before he repeated the question, “Is this kind of torture fun to you?”

”For crying out loud, Alex.” Erik rolled his eyes. “No. But he’s so earnest every time. And…” Erik shook his head. “Listen. The first time he drank up the courage and tried to make a move on me when we were back in the motel, I told him to ask again sober and then left him to sleep it off. But he never asked me sober. Just three, four more times drunk. At which occasions I said exactly the same and left him alone. No, it’s not fun. It’s dumb and frustrating. But… why back down?”

Alex looked at him with his mouth hanging open. “You two are fucking stupid,” he eventually concluded.

”Maybe, but only having him confess drunk is the same as him doing nothing at all.” Erik shrugged. “It doesn’t mean anything. I don’t _want_ it to mean anything.”

”Kindergarteners, both of you.” Alex shook his head. “I thought people mature when they grow older.”

”I never claimed I was.” For a moment, Erik hesitated, then he clapped Alex on the shoulder, just once and a little awkward. “Just because we’re both being stupid doesn’t mean it has to have any influence on you and Hank. Do what makes you happy.”

”How do you know that?” Alex bristled.

”If I didn’t, I wouldn’t even talk to you like this. I’m not _that_ suicidal, despite evidence to the contrary.” Erik tapped Alex’ watch. “You should take that off in the future. And not have Hank sneak over to you, because I can feel his glasses, too. You’re not as subtle as to think you are.”

”Outmaneuvered by a kindergartener.” Alex sighed. “Pathetic.”

Erik laughed.

”Ok, but, tomorrow, when he’s hungover and miserable anyway, can you talk to the Prof? Please? This has to stop.”

Erik smirked. “What tells you that we won’t just be even more insufferable then?”

”You don’t want to be out to anyone. That’s how.” Alex smirked back at Erik.

”How about we call it draw on points for tonight?” Erik looked up at the ceiling, studying the ornate lamp in which’s light they were sitting. “...I’ll talk to him. I promise. You’re right. Kind of. Somewhat.” He pressed his lips together. “But you promise me something, too. Be good to Hank. He doesn’t deserve all the shit you’re giving him while others are watching. Most people won’t notice how you feel just because you’re nice to somebody.”

Alex swallowed. Still, he nodded. “Promise.” His voice was meek, a little shaky, but the word came out clear enough.

Erik stood up, holding out his hand to pull Alex back on his feet too. They didn’t speak anymore, but walked close to each other in a comfortable silence, until they were back at their rooms where they mumbled their goodnights.

 

~*~*~

 

Charles was woken by a knock at his door. That wasn’t entirely true, since he’d been trying not to be woken by the sun glaring in through the window for a while before that, but the knock wasn’t as easily ignored. Especially not since Erik obviously didn’t care for a reaction and instead entered unprompted. At least, he’d brought juice and scrambled eggs on toast. Charles sat up in his bed, trying to smooth his hair and overall making himself a little more presentable.

”You need to stop drinking as much,” Erik said flat out, carefully handing the tray over to Charles.

Charles held his throbbing head. “Really solid advice,” he grumbled, taking a sip from the juice. He closed his eyes. If the sun and Erik would leave him alone now, everything would be at least endurable.

Erik took a deep breath. If Charles hadn’t been so busy with himself, he’d have noticed the steely resolve Erik gathered up. “And you need to stop hitting on me while drunk.”

”Excuse me?!” Charles almost spilled the rest of the juice with how fast he put the glass down.

”You heard me.” Erik was leaning against the wall, looking at Charles expectantly. “I’m sick and tired of it.”

Very tentatively, Charles’ brushed his telepathy against Erik’s mind. He couldn’t find anything on the surface that went beyond frustration at his drunken behavior. It was just that, not at what he’d done, but that it had been under influence. Charles blinked. “So… I’m sorry?”

”And?” Erik waved his hand.

”I won’t drink to hit on you anymore?” Charles ventured.

Erik sighed. “Charles.”

”What else do you want to hear from me?” Charles tried to glower at Erik, but the expression made his migraine worse.

”Charles.” Again, Erik sighed. He pushed himself off the wall and closed the distance between them, squatting down next to the bed so they were somewhat at eye level. “If you wouldn’t always wait until you were so drunk you don’t even remember, I wouldn’t tell you to fuck off.”

Charles’ mental gears started to turn just in time before he could say something impulsive about how delusional he thought Erik to be. But Erik wasn’t telling him he didn’t want Charles to… well, whatever he had done. He just didn’t want him to be drunk while doing it. Which could only mean… “I love you,” he blurted out, his heart pounding so hard it made him dizzy.

Erik put his hand on Charles’. He was smiling softly. “There you go.” Careful not to disturb Charles’ breakfast, he leaned up, bringing his face close to Charles’, just far enough away that Charles could call stop if he wanted. “I love you, too.”

Charles turned his hand so he could hold Erik’s. It wasn’t hard to lean forward and kiss him, it shouldn’t be, yet it felt like an eternity between the moment he started to move and when his lips finally touched Erik’s. He let out an elated sigh.

”I waited for you to say something for weeks,” Erik laughed. “But you never did anything. I was about to chalk it up to, you know, drunk honesty but you didn’t think it worth it when you were actually thinking…”

Charles just shut him up with more kisses.


End file.
